Page 7 of Falling for the Veterinarian

“Hey there, young lady,” the driver says as he walks toward me. “I’m Daryl and this is my wife, Nancy.” He points at the woman with a kind smile who strolls toward me.

Daryl is a strong muscular man in his early sixties and his wife is about the same age with pale blue eyes that look familiar. She has shoulder-length dyed blond hair with the ends perfectly turned inward. They both shake my hand.

“I’m Sarah.”

“Looks like you’re having some trouble,” he assesses the situation and frowns. “Well, little lady, I’m all out of spares on the truck right now. But maybe we can give you a lift. Where are you headed?”

“That would belifesavingat this point,” I practically start to bawl. “I’m headed to the Starry Night Bed and Breakfast in Moonridge.”

“Oh, you must be Michelle’s niece,” Nancy pipes up with delight.

“Yes! You know her?!” I know Moonridge is a small town, but this seems implausible.

“Why yes, dear. We transplanted to Moonridge from Texas a few years ago,” she says. “We stayed at the Starry Night Inn and just fell in love with the town and your Aunt Michelle.”

She gives me a quick squeeze and ushers me into the cab of the tow truck. Daryl hooks the car up to the tow truck just as large raindrops fall from the sky.

I fill them in on my series of unfortunate incidents. Nancy fills me in on things around the town and her son. She makes sure to note that he is single several times during the conversation. I just smile. I have no interest in dating anyone, not even someone who sounds like a saint. Men are rarely as good as they seem, except for maybe Daryl and my Uncle Nate, Michelle’s husband.

We pull up to the inn. It’s almost nightfall and the rain drizzles softly. Aunt Michelle and Uncle Nate are out front with an umbrella waiting on me. I look at Nancy. “How does she always know?”

“Maybe she’s a psychic,” Nancy jokes, “No, just kidding. I texted her a while back to let her know we were helping you get here.”

“Aw, thanks Nancy.” I gaze at her. “You two are seriously lifesavers.”

Aunt Michelle rushes over and hugs both me and Nancy. She ushers us inside while Daryl and Uncle Nate kindly unload my things into the stand-alone suite. From what I remember as a kid, that place really is the best part of the grounds and looks like a magical forest fit for the Queen of Fairies.

“I can’t thank you enough, Daryl,” I say as soon as the men return.

I shake his hand. “How much do I owe you?” I reach for a couple hundred in cash.

“Put that cash away.” He pushes my hands away with an upturned nose. “I don’t want nothin’. I was just helping a neighbor. Besides, after all the help Nate and Michelle have given us over the years, no way I’m accepting your money.”

I can’t help but beam at him. These people are warm, generous, and absolutely amazing. This place might be exactly the town I need to settle down in.

“Come on, Nancy,” Daryl’s loud booming voice says. “We gotta git home, it’s starting to rain cats and dogs out there.”

Uncle Nate hands over an adorable iron key that makes me feel like a little princess in a secret garden. "Here, I'm sure you're ready to get some sleep. We can catch up in the morning."

I stifle a yawn and nod in agreement.

"Here take this too." Aunt Michelle hands me the yellow umbrella. "You got here just in time. Looks pretty awful out there."

The rain pours down with a vengeance as I trek the twenty feet to the stand-alone suite. It looks more like a quaint cottage than the suite I remember from my childhood. I open the door to my new home and flop on the bed, not even bothering to remove my clothes or broken shoes.

Six

Sarah

Istumbleoutofbed and enter the bathroom. It’s absolutely magical. A stacked grey brick façade lines the outside of the garden tub and a bathmat made of smooth stones and live green moss sits in front of it. The walls are adorned with the perfect mix of whimsy and modern forest wallpaper. The walk-in shower has a slate grey ledge stone exterior with a smooth pebble floor. It's like a fairytale. I’m definitely using that tub later.

I turn on the warm water. The ceiling-mounted showerhead rushes water out like a waterfall in the summertime. I swear I almost detect a hint of pine in the air. I close my eyes and take a long, deep inhale, and I am instantly transported to a forest with a babbling brook. Some of the stress of the week rinses right off.

I walk into the living area of the cottage. It’s exquisite. Aunt Michelle’s design aesthetic is impeccable. She seamlessly mingles old-world charm with modern appliances and décor. The full kitchen includes a stainless-steel stove, a full-sized fridge, and all the accessories.Maybe I ought to learn to cook while I'm here.

The living area features a fireplace with the same stacked ledge stones as the bathroom shower and has a small library. I peruse the titles. Romance, Romance, Romance, YUCK.I pick up one of the books. It’s a cozy murder mystery called “Deceit & a Deathly Downpour” by Ashleigh Quinn. Hmm, I love the pun.I leave the book on the side table to read later.

A sudden pain in my stomach reminds me I haven't eaten since yesterday's lunch.

---